---

PHYSICALITY

---

Description
Joshua is on the short end of the scale for human males, but he never minded. It makes sneaking around and fighting larger opponents much easier. His skin is lightly pale, from more time inside and in the dark than out, and his hair is as black as night. His build is nothing special, but rather well rounded with a focus on speed. One could best describe him as lean. His eyes are a muddy dark brown, good for blending with the crowd. Some might say he's a handsome man, and he would agree, but there are better looking guys out there. His face is gentle, but has the capacity to be hard and cold, and his hair obscures his eyes just a bit.

The way he walks is a thick mixture of confidence, caution, and stealth. He always seems to have a purpose in his step, but at the same time he seems quite wary of his surroundings. He steps lightly, by habit, and even when he doesn't try to be quiet, he is. He never expends his energy foolishly, though, unless specifically being recreational. Even then, he saves a bulk of his energy if he needs to suddenly fight or run. Every movement he makes has a purpose and he is nearly always doing something.

Appearance
Hair: Short, straight, and pitch black
Facial Hair: None
Eyes: Dark Brown
Build: Lithe, athletic, and lean. Stereotypical for his profession.
Skin Tone: Slightly pale
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 156lbs
Voice: Calm and collected. Confident, and with a hint of sarcasm.
Handed: Ambidextrous
Body Markings: None
Scar Tissue: He has a large X scar across his chest, and several scars across both wrists.
Unique Body Features: None

Name
Joshua Foulke

Nickname
Night Fox
The Artist

Title
The Artist

Race
Human

Visual Age
23-25

Factual Age
254(Through extending his life via Tyrfang)

Gender
Male

Sexual Orientation
Heterosexual

Class
Rogue

Specialization
Assassin

---

MENTALITY

---

Personality
Joshua Foulke is a piece of work. On one hand, he can be as cold as the steel he wields, operating for the money or the joy of killing. On the other hand, he seems to be working for a cause, and actually caring about what happens to the world. He calls himself a hypocrite, saying that what's best isn't always a static value and that it's always changing. When dealing with people, he'd like them to think he was heartless and carefree, because a mental defense is just as important as a physical one.

Long ago, he swore not to love again, but as hard as he tries, he is just as prone to falling for the cute girl as the next guy. His advantage, however, is his ability to hide those feelings, from others and himself. Even though he'll claim not to care for someone, he'll often fight for free to protect them.

His demeanor is generally roguish and witty. Why be any different if you know you can kill every guard in the room before they can draw their weapons? He's good and he knows it. While he doesn't showboat too much, he's not above the witty comeback. Even when speaking with royalty, he doesn't lose his casual tone, though he'll speak a little more seriously, he won't be any more respectful. That's not to say he lacks respect, he just speaks casually, even to kings. He's adept at hiding fear too, since sometimes even he get's scared. He knows that in some situations, you simply can't show fear, and has learned to mask it very well. Sometimes though, hiding his fear turns into foolhardy, stubborn courage, and he can get into situations that are hard to get out of.

Despite all this, he is a smart man who is easily likable and very personable, even if he's not to keen on forming close relationships. That attributes to his profession too, as he is quite a proficient actor and liar.

Quirks
-When dealing with locks(that he's not picking) he tends to lock or unlock them twice. I.E. Lock, Unlock, Lock, or vice versa.
-He rubs his thumb and forefingers together to relieve anxiety, and he does this so much, he almost hits himself like it's a bad habit.
-He sharpens Tyrfang even though it never needs maintenance to stay sharp.
-He doesn't like to swear and gets slightly uncomfortable if others do, though he never lets them know.
-He has a tendency to state questions, which can get annoying.

Moral Alignment
Chaotic Neutral

Virtue/Creed


Motivation
Money, Life, curing boredom.
Those are the center and immediate goals of his, but they are not the only ones. He has an underlying, long term motivation. Throughout his two and a half centuries of life, he's learned of the existence of other such magical artifacts. He's learned of all manner of powerful items, and aims to obtain them all. But finding them is not easy. He knows the location of only one, and is not in a position to fetch it yet.

Fears
Death - No living soul knows Death like Joshua Foulke, and he is intent on making sure he doesn't get to know her more intimately.

Goal
To enjoy life. Primarily he works for the goal of his employer, but when it comes down to it, he'll stick to his own agenda of keeping the world fresh and exciting.

Likes
Money - Joshua gets paid well. Very well, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
Excitement - Sometimes life just gets too boring. When that happens, Joshua introduces a little death to spice things up.
Weapons - Joshua likes to learn every curve of the weapons he uses. An artist needs to know his tools, yes?
Killing - Killing is an art, and Joshua styles himself the best artist.

Dislikes
Losing - Joshua trained tirelessly under his master. To lose now feels as if all the training was useless.
Forced to do anything - While Joshua follows the rules of his contract, he likes being free to accept or decline at any time.

Strengths
Combat Prowess - Joshua is a master at one-on-one combat. He wears little or no armor because he doesn't need it, as most of his opponents can't even hit him, if they survive his first strike.
Stealth - Even thieves envy his abilities in stealth. He knows how to blend with the shadows and the dark, how to move without a sound, and is proficient in many disguises.
Agility - No one denies his speed and reflexes, which are both as legendary as he is. There are stories of him being able to cut arrows from the air, and dodge firearm projectiles.

Weaknesses
Lightweight - Being so quick comes with a price: a heavy blow that connects easily knocks him about.
Stubborn - Stubbornness has nearly cost him his life more than once. He taunts death so often, he can barely tell if he's taking it too far.
Mortality - Tyrfang only prevents him from aging; a blade is a blade though, and a sword in the heart or a sliced throat and he's just as dead as the next man.

---

ARMAMENT

---

Assassin's gray's When on a mission, Joshua prefers to wear these. Mostly tight fitting, but not to impede movement, these clothes are comfortable and quiet. They are colored a mottled dark grey and black, as solid black doesn't blend as well. A hood is not included, because it impedes hearing.

Disguises From a beggar to a nobleman, Joshua has just about every "in" style in his wardrobe. Sometimes, it's just not practical to be walking around in assassin's gear.

Everyday clothing When in his home or in private, Joshua prefers comfortable clothes that let him live freely. When he absolutely needs to go out, he wears Commons clothes, so as to not draw attention.

---

COMBAT PROWESS

---

Combativeness
Hand-to-Hand Combat:
[Excellent] - Sometimes, you just don't have a weapon, and flailing his fists blindly is neither efficient or Joshua's style.

Melee Combat
[Perfect] - With a weapon in his hands, even blinking in a fight with Joshua is a fatal mistake.

Ranged Combat:
[Perfect] - Joshua is one of the worlds best shot's with a bow or crossbow, but guns aren't really his thing. Mainly, they make too much noise and aren't as reliable.

Magic Combat:
[Poor] - A little oomph behind a kick or a strike here and there, or a bit of magical aid in hiding, but it's not something he relies on. He prefers silent, quick steel to end a life than flashy magic.

Mounted Combat:
Average - He's no jousting champion, but he's no flailing idiot either. Most of his "mounted" combat involves a dismount anyway.

Racial Abilities

Luck - Good - "Nine times of ten? Ha! Never tell me the odds!"

Natural Talent

Reflexes - Excellent - Joshua has an innate affinity for reaction. He rivals master thieves in this respect.

Charm - Excellent - Who isn't charmed by a dashing rogue? Joshua fits the witty and charming rogue stereotype nicely.

Quick Wit - Excellent -Whether speaking to a king or making split decisions mid-combat, a man in this profession needs to have a quick wit and a quicker mind.

Class Skills

Exploit Weakness - Excellent Every defense has holes, and in his 230 years as a master assassin, he's learned how to spot and use every one of them.

Fear - Good - Not many men can stare death in the face and not wet themselves. Facing Joshua in his killing mood is somewhat like that.

Sneak Attack - Excellent - A dagger you don't see coming is ten fold more dangerous, and even more so in the hands of someone who knows where to cut.

Stealth - Excellent - During his exceptionally long life, he's learned to be nearly as proficient in stealth as master thieves. While he can't be invisible, he can certainly come close to it, and in a dark room, that's just as good.

---

EQUIPMENT

---

Items
Various poisons of varying strength. Some kill instantly, some painfully, others only immobilize. He also carries antidotes for all of them.
Alcohol for sterilizing wounds, and materials to bind them.
Enough money to keep comfortable.
Memorabilia
A note from the creator of Tyrfang.

Weapon
Weapon Name: Tyrfang
Weapon Type: Shortsword
Material: Arcane Metals
Ammo: N/A
Length: 2.5ft blade, 6in handle
Weight: Weighted perfectly for whoever uses it.
Weapon Description/Info: Tyrfang, or Tyrfang the Lifestealer, is a powerful magic sword crafted by a long dead blacksmith. The man died upon completing the sword, and Joshua inherited it as a gift. It extends the life of the wielder with each kill. Every second of life a victim has lived, Tyrfang transfers to it's master, who doesn't age for that amount. Joshua has accumulated quite a many years of life with Tyrfang, but he can't stop. If he goes to long without feeding the blade, he starts to lose his time faster, and will eventually begin to age again. Tyrfang, as a sword is very well crafted. In a battle of light blades, it's hard enough that it can resist fracturing, and against large blades, it's tough enough that it can flex without permanently warping. It's strong enough to punch through chain mail, but thick plate is too much.

Tyrfang has a two and a half foot blade, made from arcane metals stained as black as the night. It's name is engraved on the black handle in light silver strip. The blade itself is double edged and either doesn't or can't dull with wear. When drawn, the blade seems to suck in the light around it. It always seems slick with blood, but whenever it is stained, dew rises from microscopic slits to clean it.

Weapon Name: Night
Weapon Type: Offhand Short sword
Material: Steel
Ammo: N/A
Length: 2ft
Weight: 4lbs
Weapon Description/Info: Lightweight offhand short sword, often used in combination with Tyrfang. The blade is stained black and is kept razor sharp by Joshua. This has been the sword that belonged to Raven, the assassin he killed for his Master's work. He's currently looking to bind an Eldritch to it to make it an artifact.

Weapon Name: None
Weapon Type: Concealed Crossbow
Material: Oak and Steel
Ammo: Steel Bolts
Length: .75ft
Weight: 2lbs
Weapon Description/Info: A standard concealable crossbow. Wrist mounted and loaded with a poison tipped bolt.

Weapon Name: None
Weapon Type: Half Sword
Material: Steel
Ammo: N/A
Length: 1ft blade, 5in handle.
Weight: 3lbs
Weapon Description/Info: An easily, concealed blade, Joshua prefers this for it's dual purpose as a sword and a knife.

Weapon Name: None
Weapon Type: Throwing Knives
Material: Steel
Ammo: Steel Knives
Length: 6 inches.
Weight: .25lbs
Weapon Description/Info: Weighted throwing knives, sharp enough to pierce through hardened leather. Joshua likes these for their size, making them easy to conceal, and their efficiency.

---

BACKGROUND

---

Group Affiliation
None

Faction
Grand Union of You - Joshua works for both sides, but he's yet to take a contract that would put an end to the fighting. When it comes down to it, he wants to keep things fun, and profitable. So the longer the war runs, the more fun he can have and the more money he can make.

Marital Status
Single, never married.

Relatives
All deceased.

Origin
Ashmere - Wolfeil

Residence
Several Safe-houses throughout Illumine and Wolfeil
A small mansion in Illumine.

Social Rank
Criminal, Assassin, Mercenary, Yeoman.

Occupation
Assassin

Blood Pact
None

Bio/History
Joshua Foulke wasn't always the assassin known as The Artist, but he has been for so long, his life before is hardly worth mentioning. He was the son of a whore and an unknown John, and he was abused throughout his early childhood. He claims to take after his father, as his mother was never very talented at anything but whoring. When he was 8, he ran away, and went from living in the smallest shack, to fighting with other children to live in the biggest alley. It was here he learned his street skills. At 12, he was hand-picked by Wolfeil's best and eldest assassin, who was keen to pass his knowledge to an apprentice before he died.

For ten years, his master trained him, working him hard to be the best of the best. Nearly all of his skills as an assassin come from this man. After all, you don't live long as an assassin for nothing. At long last, his master died, but not before giving him a final test; a masters work to complete his training. There was another assassin, trained by the second best killer in all the city, and Joshua was tasked with killing her. He found for the first time in his whole life of actually caring for someone when he met the girl. They both knew they had to fight, and they both knew Joshua would win, but it broke his heart to pierce hers, and from then on he swore he'd never love.

Some time recently after this, Joshua came in possession of the sword Tyrfang, and has been it's only master. The sword, feeding off of the life force of it's kills, was able to extend Joshua's life beyond that of his masters, and over time, became the most feared and respected assassin in Wolfeil. He's had little need to disguise his identity, as most people nowadays don't remember why Joshua Foulke is the best, just that he is. The people that do know the legend though, just assume that Joshua trained an apprentice before he died, and the apprentice took his name, thus keeping The Artist alive for more than 200 years. How wrong they are.

Most people know The Artist, but few could recognize him, and even those few would be put off with the disguises he wears. He signs each kill though, like an artist on a painting. He takes jobs for anyone with the right price, but even he is picky. He won't take a job if it wouldn't be fun, and he won't take jobs of needless slaughter. Sometimes, he'd take a job just to prove a point, and he'd decline one for the very same reason. Now he's prepared to actively start hunting artifacts like Tyrfang, and though he knows legends of many, he knows the location of just one.

Joshua's reason for wanting all these artifacts is simple. While he doesn't age, he can still die. He wants to find a way to become invincible, or at least immortal, and he is only just beginning his search. The one other artifact he knows where to find is The Dulled Blade, a dull sword from nearly 1500 years before. From what he's read, simply holding the sword or wearing it on your person grants an immunity to all manner of blades. Joshua is determined to fetch it as soon as he is able.

.